Phu Chi Fa

We awoke at 3:30 am to get dressed.  A driver picked us up and drove us two and a half hours away to the top of a mountain.  The sun was still not up when we climbed/hiked half a mile to the summit to watch the sun rise through the clouds and fog.  A cloud would pass and for 15 seconds you could get a quick glance at the surrounding mountains and sun peeking through the clouds/fog. A new cloud would quickly blanket where we were standing and everything was hidden again.  While climbing to the summit, one moment I would see others standing on it and the next moment they were hidden behind a curtain of fog. It was beautiful.  Phu Chi Fa means Mountain Point in the Sky.

It was freezing this morning on the mountain.  Talk about extremes, sweat pouring down my body in Bangkok and not being able to get warm on the mountain.  

I was so exhausted from not sleeping well last night and from such an early wake up call that I slept for over an hour as  we descended the winding road.  I don't know how I slept upright under the snaking road without a seatbelt.  

We stopped at Parabola coffee shop and I had an espresso to help wake up. It also gave me a chance to post to the blog and download email.  Free wifi is hit or miss these days and I don't have access to a computer to upload pictures.  Michael spoiled me in Bangkok. 

By the way, our driver speaks only Thai so if Blaa and May are not with me, we just grin and nod.

Yesterday and today, we have passed many green rice fields.  I did see a few that were golden and ready for harvest.  

The countryside in Chiang Rai province is beautiful!  Everything is lush and green.  Along with rice, I have seen banana trees, crops of corn, lime trees, and pineapple.  We stopped on the side of the road on Wednesday and I bought some fresh pineapple... Aroy (delicious)!

This morning on Phu Chi Fa, I saw people setting up their stalls before first light.  The headlights from the van revealed them in the darkness.  After dawn, I saw people heading to work walking, motorcycle and a few cars.  The majority were a mom with a basket on her back, a child in between her and her husband who was driving the motorcycle.  There were no helmets.  I am so sad we were rapidly descending the mountain and could not get pictures of their wrinkled, weather-worn faces that were highlighted by their beautiful white smiles.   

After my shot of espresso, we conquered another hairpin turn after hairpin turn mountain to go to Maesolong where they grow crops of tea.  It was extraordinary.  The crops of tea grow on the sides of the mountains on tiers.  In the midst of these crops, you will see small hut-like structures with thatched roofs.  There are no walls and they are raised off the ground on stilts.  Their homes are further up the mountain from the crops.  A farmer uses these huts to have his lunch or take a break and get a short nap in the middle of day as he tends his crops.

This region use to grow opium.  However, the Royalty pursuaded the people to grow tea in order to help stop the drug trade in Thailand.  This is actually extremely simplified and there is much more to it along with some other crops.

We stopped for lunch at 1:30 and I had khao thom.  Then we snaked our way back up another mountain - Doi Tung.  At the top, we saw the Princess Mother's home named Doi Tung Royal Villa.  She is the King's mother.  She is named Mae Fah Luang.  We saw her gardens that are exquisite and a Commemorative Hall.   She has passed away. However, her impact on this country is astounding.  

We made it home to May's about 7:30 and I was tired.  I took a shower which involves dipping a bowl into a ten-gallon bucket of hot water.  It was very refreshing.